Overcoming the Odds
by YaoiGoddessNekoJin
Summary: Starfleet Academy boasts to be the best of the best. What will happen when one young man transfers for a better education and meets a most unusual fellow student and an infuriating doctor? Can the duo become a trio? Modern AU No Aliens Autistic Spock Bones/Jim Eventual Bones/Jim/Spock M/M/M
1. Chapter 1

**Note: **Okay, I wrote the first part of this chapter a while back and decided to finish the chapter and begin posting is. This my first attempt at writing an autistic character, so bear with me. Let me know if I should continue.

The room was quiet. Every student had their eyes glued to the front of the classroom where the professor was standing. She was explaining about a new program that was being started that very year at Starfleet Academy.

"Now, I know this seems odd, but it is an effort to give you all a real experience at a career." she said, pushing a loose strand of chestnut hair behind an ear. The professor was a young, petite woman. She had large, brown eyes and silky, brown hair. She was dressed smartly in a loose, white blouse and a fitted, pinstripe skirt. "So, my TA and I have divided you all up among some volunteer professionals, who you will be shadowing for the entirety of this semester. You will share their schedules and learn all you can about their jobs and roles in society. At the end of the semester, there will be an exam on all that you have learned. I will call your names in groups and tell you where and who you are to report to."

While the professor began calling names, a student in the very top row took notes, meticulously, until his name was called. His black bangs gently swayed in front of impossibly dark eyes as the teen wrote. He looked up when he heard his name.

"Spock Grayson, Alex Johnson, Steven Adams, James Kirk, and Pavel Chekov. You will report to a Doctor Leonard McCoy at San Francisco General Hospital. You will be spending the semester in the trauma center." Spock quirked and elegant eyebrow and watched the teacher leave the classroom. It seemed they were to get themselves to their first day on jobs. A moment later, a boisterous blonde sidled up to Spock, a wide grin on his face. He clapped Spock on the shoulder.

"Looks like we're in a group together, Spock!" he said with a laugh. Spock scowled.

"Please refrain from touching me, Jim." The blonde took a step back, putting both hands up in a placating manner. The amusement and humor never stopped dancing through blue eyes. Jim turned around when he heard others walking up behind him. Spock, however, just returned to his notes, saying nothing. Jim smiled brightly at the young boy with a mop of curly hair.

"Hey there!"

"Hello! Are you James?" the boy, who looked far younger than the rest of the class, asked cheerfully, bouncing from foot to foot in an excited manner. He had a heavy Russian accent. Jim smiled even brighter.

"Yup! And this is Spock." he gestured behind him.

"I am Pavel Andreievich Chekov. It is a pleasure to meet both of you." He shook Jim's hand vigorously and glanced behind him at Spock, expecting to do the same. When Spock continued writing instead of acknowledging Pavel, he gave Jim a questioning look.

"Ah, don't worry about him. It's good to meet you, too." Jim pointedly ignored the other two who walked over to their little group as he began a lively conversation with Pavel. Unbeknownst to Jim, they walked around to where Spock was quietly concentrating on his notes. The brunette, Alex, looked at his friend and slowly opened the water he was holding. He smirked as he dropped it onto the notebook that Spock was using. As water went everywhere, Spock let out a surprised noise and jumped back before frantically trying to dry the paper off. Jim and Pavel whirled around to see what was happening and took in the scene before them. Jim glared as he saw Alex and Steven give each other a subtle high five. Spock's heavy and rapid breathing had Jim kneeling on the ground beside him, aiding his attempt to remove the water. Once the water had been sopped up with Spock's shirt and Jim's jacket, the blonde turned his attention to his friend. Spock's breathing was becoming more rapid and small sounds of distress were being emitted as he stared at the smudged ink in front of him. Careful not to touch the other, Jim tried to get his attention.

"Hey, Spock, it's okay." he said softly. "Listen, just breathe. Slowly, in and out. That's it." After Spock's breathing returned to normal, Jim rounded on the laughing boys. "What the hell is your problem?!" he shouted.

"C'mon man, it was an accident." said Alex, still laughing. Jim fumed and restrained himself from throwing punches.

~x~x~x~

As the small group entered the hospital, they took in the sights and sounds all around them. Jim whistled confidently as he strode up to the front desk of the ER.

"Heeey Uhura." he drawled when they reached the desk. The beautiful woman behind it rolled her eyes in exasperation.

"What are you doing, Jim?" she asked.

"We're here for Bones. School assignment." Uhura scoffed as she stared at the group. Her eyes landed on Spock, who was clutching his notebook and staring at the ground. Her face softened slightly before she turned back to Jim. "He should be in the break room waiting for you. But, you know him, could be anywhere."

"Thanks." Jim beaconed the others to follow him as he walked off into the hospital. They followed him to the break room where, sure enough, a tall man stood at the sink, his back facing the door.

"Bones!" Jim announced loudly, causing the man to jump and curse.

"Dammit, Jim! What're you doing here?" he asked, spinning around. Expecting to just see Jim, he was surprised when he saw he wasn't alone. He groaned loudly as realization hit him. "Don't tell me you're part of the college group."

"Yup!" Jim smiled brightly. The doctor, Leonard McCoy, shook his head as he addressed everyone.

"Alright, sit down." The group complied and McCoy picked up his tablet off the counter. He turned back to the, now seated, group and began introductions.

"Well, I guess I should say welcome." he said unenthusiastically. "I'm Dr. Leonard McCoy. Unlike that bonehead, y'all can call me Dr. McCoy." he gestured to Jim at that part. "Now, when I call your name, raise your hand and state your age. There are some things here you can only participate in if you're over a certain age. Jim, I already know about you. Alright, Pavel Chekov." Pavel raised his hand and called out his age.

"Sixteen, sir."

"Good God, man, I thought this was a college class!" he exclaimed. Jim dissolved into laughter at his friend's outburst. McCoy just scowled at him and continued. Alex Johnson."

"Nineteen."

"Steven Adams."

"Twenty."

"And, Spock Grayson." Keeping his head down, Spock responded.

"I am eighteen, Dr. McCoy." McCoy looked at the boy for a moment. His pale skin was in stark contrast to his ebony hair. He was thin, but not too much so. Spock's long, elegant fingers still clasped at the notebook he held to his wet shirt. McCoy turned a questioning gaze onto Jim. Jim just smiled slightly and mouthed '_Later_'. McCoy turned back to the rest of the group.

"Alright, let's go."

~x~x~x~

The day had been quite interesting. The two pals, Alex and Steven, had played pranks on unsuspecting people and tortured the the strange kid. Spock, that was his name. Speaking of Spock, Jim seemed to like the kid. He was painfully shy and kept to himself as much as possible. Leonard had observed that he didn't like to be touched and didn't really appreciate it when people, other than Jim, attempted to interact with him. Leonard was pulled from his thoughts as his office door swung open. Jim walked in, grinning. Throwing his jacket over the back of the chair in front of him, Jim rounded the desk and took a seat right in Leonard's lap. Leaning in, Jim planted a kiss on the older man's lips. They kept the kiss chaste for a moment before Jim deepened it, opening his mouth to Leonard's questing tongue and groaning at the feel as the appendages battled for dominance. Leonard pulled his mouth away from Jim's, trailing kisses down the blonde's neck. Jim moaned and arched his head back. He felt his lover's large hands running up and down his sides.

"So, what's up with your friend?" Leonard asked between kisses. Jim chuckled.

"Why? Jealous?" he asked, wiggling on the man's lap causing him to groan.

"You wish, kid." Leonard grabbed Jim's hips to still him. "Seriously, what's wrong with him?" Jim stopped playing around and looked down into Leonard's eyes.

"Honestly, I don't know a whole lot about him. He just transferred here two weeks ago from New York. He's autistic. You remember Sam and Aurelan? One of their kids is autistic too. Though, Spock is much more high functioning. I recognized the behaviors and I kind of took to protecting him when the douchey duo got involved. For some reason, he let me." Leonard just nodded. He now understood the behaviors he had seen from the boy earlier. It made much more sense. Well, this semester promised to be _interesting_.


	2. Chapter 2

"How has school been going?" Spock's therapist asked. Mr. Sanders was a middle-aged man with graying hair. He had laugh lines on his face from a life full of happiness and joy. Spock was sitting on the couch across from him, back straight and posture perfect.

"It is acceptable." he answered.

"How has being at a new college made you feel?" When Spock said nothing, Mr. Sanders continued. "Spock, what have we talked about? Use your emotion words." Spock hesitated, muscles tightening with his discomfort.

"It has made me feel..." He thought for a moment. "nervous."

"Did anything happen?" It took Spock several moments to get anything out. Mr. Sanders understood. The boy had a problem expressing his emotions. That was why his mother put him in therapy in the first place.

"A couple of bullies have taken an interest in me." He finally got out. "They intentionally spilled water on my notes." Mr. Sanders knew that Spock's notes meant a lot to him.

"And, how did that make you feel?" he asked. Again, Spock thought before speaking.

"Angry. Upset."

"How did you handle it?" Spock hesitated and colored slightly.

"I had an episode." Mr. Sanders began scribbling on a notepad he had.

"How did you get over it?"

"Jim helped me." Mr. Sanders flipped back a few pages, searching for a page.

"Jim Kirk, right? The new friend you made at school."

"Affirmative."

~x~x~x~

Spock left the therapist's office and headed home. The two-hour session was a difficult one. He didn't like talking about his feelings, but was forced to during these visits. Logically, he knew that his mother was doing what was best for him. He knew that the only way to be able to function better amongst the general populace, he needed to learn new skills that the therapy would aid him in learning. As Spock walked down the sidewalk, he felt the first few drops of rain. He quickened his pace, but soon, the trickle turned into a downpour. He hunched his shoulders against the freezing rain, getting soaked in an instance. Out of the corner of his eye, Spock noticed a car slow down beside him. Keeping his eyes on the ground, Spock sped up. It wasn't until the window rolled down and a voice came from inside the car that he stopped.

"Hey Spock!" It was Jim. More accurately, it was Jim leaning across Dr. McCoy's lap to talk to him out of the older man's window. "What are you doing out here in the rain? Hop in, we'll take you home." Spock thought for a moment before he bobbed his head and opened the back door of the car, climbing in.

~x~x~x~

Jim and Leonard, as he insisted on being called, had managed to talk Spock into going to the doctor's house and watching a movie with them. Well, Jim had been the one to do the convincing. Leonard just stared, grumpily, out through the windshield. Spock, who had called his mother to let her know what was going on, sat in the back of the car shivering. Looking in the rear view mirror, Leonard noticed and cranked up the heat. Once they arrived, everyone exited the vehicle and made a run for the door. When they entered the house, water dripped off Spock.

"Great, he's dripping on my floor." Leonard muttered. He went on in a louder tone. "Jim, he's dripping on my floor!"

"Yeah, yeah, I heard you. C'mon Spock. Let's get you changed and get those clothes in the dryer." Jim led Spock through the living room and down a small hallway in the house. When they reached the master bedroom, they walked in and Jim went for the dresser. He pulled out a pair of boxers and a set of pajamas.

"Here, these should fit. I like my pajamas a little long, so they should be just right on you." Spock stood there, shocked, for a moment. When he was finally able to speak, he looked from the clothes to Jim.

"You live here?" Jim blushed a brilliant red at the question. He stuttered for a moment before he was able to talk.

"N-no. Bones and I just have movie nights and usually end up drunk. Can't go home that way." He forced a laugh and handed the clothes to Spock, making a hasty retreat. Spock just stood there as the other left and quirked an eyebrow.

~x~x~x~

Jim walked back into the living room where Leonard was and plopped down on the couch. The older man was rifling through his dvds, looking for something they all might like.

"I may have made a mistake." Jim spoke up into the silence. Leonard looked up at him from his place on the floor.

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, Spock is suspicious. I don't know if he's quite figured it out yet, but he was asking about it-" Leonard cut Jim off there.

"What the hell are you blabbing about?" he asked in irritation. Jim sighed dramatically.

"I took Spock to our room and gave him some of my clothes." Leonard swore under his breath.

"Dammit kid! The hell were you thinking?"

"I dunno. That he was wet and needed a change." Leonard shook his head at Jim.

"You could have given him some of my clothes."

"They're way too big!" said Jim defensively. At that moment, Spock walked into the room. His wet hair was sticking up at odd angles and the clothes he wore were just long enough, but baggy on his slender frame. He padded, barefoot, over to the couch and stood there. All in all, Jim thought he looked adorable. Spock was still shivering and, when Leonard walked over, beginning to sit beside Jim, he spoke up.

"Uh uh." the blonde said, grabbing Spock by the wrist and dragging him down to sit between him and the doctor. Leonard just grumbled as he sat beside the shaking teen.

"C'mon Bones, don't be so mean! He needs to be warmed up." Jim grinned and threw an arm around Spock's shoulders. Spock scowled and shrugged Jim's arm off. The lights had been turned off and, as the movie began, it lit the three on the couch in a soft glow.


End file.
